Out of the 57 countries with critical shortage of HRH in the world, 36 are from sub-Saharan Africa. The United States and Canada, which have a burden of diseases of 13%, hosts 37% of the global health workforce, while Africa, which hosts 24% of the global burden of diseases, is home to 3% only of the global health workforce. By 2006, the world suffered a shortage of 4.25 million medical doctors (MDs), midwives, nurses and support workers. This includes clinicians and non-clinicians such as health managers, ambulance drivers, record officers and all those involved in different projects that ensure the well-being of the people. Human resources for health (HRH) is defined as all people engaged in actions the primary intent of which is to enhance health. Human resources for health crisis in a global perspective Auditing and improvement of the HRH database is highly recommended in dealing with Tanzania’s MD crisis. HRH planning should consider the three stages of health workforce development conceptualized under the demand and supply model.
Yet, the number and geographical distribution of MDs practicing in the country has remained the same as before the reforms. Two decades after the reforms, the number of MDs trained in Tanzania has increased sevenfold per year. No information was available on the more than 60% of MDs uncaptured by our survey. Maldistribution favouring big cities was evident the eastern zone with less than 30% of the population hosts more than 50% of all MDs.
This number is less than 40% of all MDs trained in and needed for Tanzania by 2011. Our survey captured 1299 MDs working throughout the country. From 1992 to 2010, 2622 MDs graduated both locally and abroad. Resultsīy 1992, Tanzania had 1265 MDs working in the country. A cross-sectional survey conducted in all regions of the country established the number of MDs available by 2011. We analysed secondary data to document the number of MDs trained in Tanzania and abroad, and the number of MDs recommended for the health sector from 1992 to 2011. We developed a human resource for health (HRH) conceptual model to study achievements in the training and deployment of MDs by using the concepts of supply and demand. The study aims to assess achievements in training and deployment of MDs in Tanzania about 20 years since the 1990s health sector reforms. Little is documented on how the post-reform training and deployment of medical doctors (MDs) have contributed to resolving Tanzania’s shortage of doctors.
Tanzania adopted health sector reforms in the 1990s to ensure, among other things, availability of an adequate skilled health workforce. International efforts to combat the crisis have shown few benefits therefore, more country-specific efforts are required. The shortage of a skilled health workforce is a global crisis.
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